MKIII help mag in backwards

[Casey 44Mag]

ok so i go into my local hardware and some joker playing with a MKIII jams the magazine in backwards and now it wont come out. so now the shop owner has fiddled with it and put some tool marks on the gun i may try to purchase it for a song any suggestions?

 

[GDSever]

It's happened to me a few times with guest shooters at the range - and it certainly isn't the end of the world. I've successfully used a piece of stiff metal measuring tape to shim the mag out - basically required if the hammer is cocked. You can also buy the "Mag out" tool online, which is a little easier to use and does basically the same thing. I can describe the process in more detail if you need, or you can just search around the forum some - Seems to come up every few months.

If the hammer is not cocked and you can get the mainspring housing out, there is a piece you can push on with a screwdriver and the mag dropped right out for me.

As for the tool marks on the gun - up to you whether or not they are something you're willing to overlook. If the price is right and you're just looking for a (great) shooter, maybe it's worth it.

 

[Casey 44Mag]

Its a 5.5 bull with adj. sights tool marks i can live with they would bother me but its not the end of the world so it would be an excellent shooter it all depends on the price they give me

So I would feed the shim stock up the side where the mag catch is on the magazine? that seems to be where its hanging up in the mag well

 

[GDSever]

yep - that's exactly where. If you watch the video on the Mag out website, that makes it very obvious. I had to cut down the tape measure (too wide) to make it fit appropriately. Once you've got it up there, it may take pushing the tape measure and mag together in a little to allow the tape measure to shim between. After that you pull the whole thing out together.

http://mag-out.com/

I ended up buying the mag-out tool figuring it wouldn't be the last time a guest shooter put it in backwards, but that was after I used the tape measure.

If you want pics I can post them.

 

[JFB]

thanks for posting, Just in case I make that mistake!

 

[Bullseye57]

So I would feed the shim stock up the side where the mag catch is on the magazine? that seems to be where its hanging up in the mag well

No. You're actually disengaging the Mark III magazine disconnector hook from the upper magazine window when dislodging a backwards magazine. This means you are inserting the shim upward, on the right-hand side of the frame to unhook the lever. Because most folks attempt to pull out the backwards magazine the hook gets caught in the upper window and locks it into the frame; this situation is kind of like setting a fish hook when reeling in a big one. So, you have to push in both the shim and magazine to allow the hook to slip out of the window before retracting both the shim and backwards magazine. Otherwise, the hook will just re-engage the window and the result is a still stuck magazine.

R,
Bullseye

 

[GDSever]

The "mechanics of a stuck magazine" page on the Mag-out site has some great pictures of how it happens:

http://mag-out.com/mechanics-of-a-stuck-magazine/

 

[Mobuck]

I'm simply amazed that this happens so often.

 

[Kevin]

Yeah, you must have to force the magazine to get it in more than just an inch or so.

A family member of mine has had a .22 explode inside the magazine of a Mark III. I believe he had the bullet in the magazine backwards somehow. This "anonymous " family member (no it wasn't me I promise.) Isn't to keen either.

I don't understand how this could happen either.

 

[jadek44]

kripes I have enough trouble getting the darn thing in the right way, never mind bassakwards.. PITA .. I hardly shoot it it now. Should dump it.

 

[Mobuck]

My thoughts are: if you can't tell the bullets go toward the front you shouldn't be holding the gun.

 

[GDSever]

Yeah, you must have to force the magazine to get it in more than just an inch or so.

You would think - and you would be wrong. It's scary how easily it slides in backwards.

The one and only time >>I<< did it was within the first week of owning the pistol, after taking it to the range. I broke the pistol down to clean it and got frustrated during reassembly... mag in, mag out, blah blah blah. So in my haste to just get the blasted thing back together.... DO'H! I had laughed at people who talked about it because I was like you - it seemed like there should be something that stops it from happening, and maybe there is on The 22/45 - but not on the Mark IIIs. That was the last time I laughed about it, and it was the last time it has happened due to my inattentiveness.